Genuine or non-genuine parts: what the manufacturers say

The user manual for the Husqvarna DC 6000 accepts spare parts supplied by the manufacturer or equivalent, but also says that Husqvarna is not liable for damage to the product if it has been repaired with parts that do not come from, or are not approved by, the manufacturer.

Original, approved or equivalent parts

The wording in the user manuals varies, even between manuals from the same manufacturer:

• Swepac: “Always use original parts, tools and accessories”, according to the Norwegian user manuals for the PVEL wall poker and the TR 600E–TR 950E and TR 600P–TR 1150P power trowels. For the PVEL, it also says that you should use Swepac original parts when parts are replaced. See also Power trowel maintenance and Poker vibrator maintenance.
• Husqvarna DC 3000: only accessories and spare parts approved by the manufacturer may be used.
• Husqvarna DC 6000: repairs must be carried out by qualified service personnel, using spare parts supplied by the manufacturer or equivalent. The same user manual says that you should always use original accessories, and that Husqvarna is not liable for damage to the product if it has been repaired with parts that do not come from, or are not approved by, the manufacturer.

When the user manual gives a specification

In several places, a property is given instead of a brand, a brand with “or equivalent”, or a list of recommended products:

• Swepac TR 600P–TR 1150P: the engine oil is specified as SAE 10W/30, and Swepac recommends reading the engine manual supplied with the machine. The grease for the blade adjustment shaft is specified as Shell Regina Grease 2 or equivalent, while the gearbox oil is listed as Synthetic Mobil SHC 634 without any such qualification. The gearbox is lubricated for life, and if the oil does need changing, Swepac says you should use the recommended oil grade.
• Swepac PVD2000: when servicing the shaft and poker, the cavity in the cap is filled with a light, non-foaming oil, SAE40 or equivalent.
• Ficon FC 380SS: the table of recommended gearbox oils lists four oils from Castrol, Shell, Valvoline and Mobil, all with the designation 75W90 GL-5. The oil change is part of the annual checklist, which refers to the table. The routine is described in Spreader maintenance.

When one specific product is required

Jun-Air states that its oil-lubricated compressors must only be filled with original synthetic SJ-27 oil; see Jun-Air compressor maintenance.

Just because something fits and works does not necessarily mean the warranty still applies. For the Oldham DL16, it says that USB chargers of 5.0 V / 1.0 A can be used, but that the battery will then withstand fewer charge cycles and the warranty becomes void. The same user manual warns that the lithium-ion battery must only be charged on a charger with a lithium-ion charging profile, and that non-approved chargers can damage the battery's protection circuit.

Warranty and liability in the user manuals

Several user manuals say what the warranty or the manufacturer's liability does not cover, and parts are mentioned in several of them:

• Rotabroach (Magdrill Commando, Eagle and Gator): the warranty does not cover faults caused by accessories, components or spare parts that are not original Rotabroach parts. See also Magnetic drilling machine maintenance.
• Jun-Air's oil-lubricated compressors: among other things, the warranty does not cover damage caused by incorrect repairs, the wrong oil or non-original spare parts, and it only applies when SJ-27 oil has been used.
• Husqvarna PG 280 and PG 400: the manufacturer is not liable for damage to the product if it has been repaired incorrectly, or has not been repaired at an approved service centre or by an approved party. The same applies if it has been repaired with parts, or fitted with accessories, that do not come from, or are not approved by, the manufacturer. The same is stated in the user manuals for the PG 450 and DC 6000.
• Oldham DL16: the battery is supplied with the OCBL-T fuse, and a different type of fuse can cause damage and invalidates a warranty claim.

Maintenance and terms of sale matter too

For the Ficon FC 380SS, all the steps in the maintenance checklists must be followed for the warranty to apply, and among other things the warranty does not cover problems caused by repairs or modifications carried out by anyone other than Ficon or an authorised dealer. Jun-Air's warranty on the oil-lubricated compressors is conditional on the user manual having been followed, and Rotabroach's warranty terms set a deadline of 30 days for warranty registration.

Nor are the warranty terms found only in the user manual. For the DC 3000, Husqvarna states that the warranty terms of the sales company in each country apply. Jun-Air states that the company's terms of sale and delivery apply in general. Ask the seller about the terms before using other parts during the warranty period.

Parts that affect safety

Maskinforskriften (the Norwegian Machinery Regulations) sets out the minimum content of a user manual. The points include which adjustment and maintenance operations the user should carry out, how adjustment and maintenance can be done safely, and “the specifications of the spare parts to be used, when these affect the health and safety of operators”.

So for such parts, the specification must be in the user manual. Section 12-4 of forskrift om utførelse av arbeid (the Norwegian Regulations concerning the Performance of Work) requires procedures for systematic inspection and maintenance of safety equipment, high-pressure washing equipment and scaffolding, among other things. In its commentary on the section, Arbeidstilsynet (the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority) writes that the user manual which manufacturers of all types of work equipment must produce on maintenance, inspection and repair will normally cover the requirements. Even so, it is always the employer's responsibility to put in place suitable maintenance procedures for the particular use of the equipment.

What forskrift om utførelse av arbeid says about faults and repairs is covered in When the machine stops. If the equipment is subject to inspection by a competent body, see Annual inspection of work equipment.

When modification turns the machine into a new machine

Arbeidstilsynet writes that machines that have been substantially modified or upgraded are regarded as new machines under maskinforskriften and must undergo a new conformity assessment and be CE-marked again. Whoever carries out the substantial modification is responsible for ensuring that the manufacturer's obligations under maskinforskriften are met. In its commentary on maskinforskriften, Arbeidstilsynet makes two reservations: “This is conditional on the original manufacturer not having foreseen or agreed to the substantial changes. It is also a condition that the modification of the machine is not already covered by the machine's conformity assessment, technical documentation and declaration of conformity.”

As examples, Arbeidstilsynet mentions the machine being altered to perform operations other than those it was originally designed for, being made faster, or being rebuilt with new or different functions. Whether a change is substantial must be assessed case by case, and whoever makes the change must ensure that the assessment is carried out. If in doubt, you can ask the authorities for an opinion. In an example about a mobile elevating work platform, Arbeidstilsynet writes that the owner who does the work themselves, or who pays for it to be done, becomes the manufacturer of the new machine.

Repairing a damaged operator protective structure

In an example about operator protective structures, Arbeidstilsynet writes that repairing a damaged operator protective structure means restoring the machine to its condition before the damage, and is not in principle a modification of the machine. The condition is that, after the repair, the protective structure at least meets the requirements that applied when the machine was manufactured and placed on the market. Arbeidstilsynet also writes that only minor damage should be repaired, that a protective structure with extensive damage should be replaced, and that the inspection after the repair must be carried out by a competent inspection body certified as S1.

What the manufacturers say about modifications

The manufacturers also address modifications:

• Swepac (PVEL and the power trowels): modified machines are not covered by the warranty or product liability.
• Rotabroach (Magdrill Commando, Eagle and Gator): any modification voids the warranty.
• Husqvarna DC 3000: the declaration of conformity ceases to apply if the machine is modified without Husqvarna's prior approval.

Ordering parts from us

Our parts sales department offers original parts for the machines we sell, and we order any parts we do not have in stock directly from the manufacturer.

Order via Spare parts, and have the serial number from the nameplate ready. That is what parts sales needs to find the right part. There is more about ordering in How to order spare parts.